George Lopez is making his way back to broadcast television.
The comedian and actor will star in and executive produces a comedy called Lopez vs. Lopez, which has received a formal pilot order at NBC. The network gave the project from Universal Television a put pilot commitment in June; it’s likely to be a contender for NBC’s 2022-23 schedule.
The potential series will be a family affair: Lopez’s daughter, Mayan Lopez, will also star and serve as a producer.
Debby Wolfe (The Conners, One Day at a Time) is writing the pilot, with The Conners showrunner Bruce Helford supervising. Helford co-created Lopez’s eponymous ABC comedy series that ran for six seasons from 2002-07. Lopez vs. Lopez is described as “a working-class family comedy about dysfunction, reconnection and all the pain and joy in between.”
The project marks a return to broadcast TV for Lopez, who since George Lopez ended has made shows for TBS (late-night show Lopez Tonight) and TV Land (Lopez) and a would-be syndicated vehicle (Saint George) that had its first run on FX. He’s also attached to star in and executive produce a drama in development at Amazon called Once Upon a Time in Aztlan.
Universal TV is producing Lopez vs. Lopez in association with Helford’s Mohawk Productions, Travieso Productions, Mi Vida Loba and 3 Arts. Lopez, Wolfe and Helford executive produce with Katie Newman and Michael Rotenberg of 3 Arts; Mayan Lopez is a producer.
From DC Young Fly crankin’ that Soulja Boy to Karlous Miller’s shout-out to the strippers and Tyler the Creator’s infamous acceptance speech, watch as we relive the funniest moments from Hip Hop Awards ’21.
“When They See Us” and “This Is Us” actor Asante Blackk is set to star with Tiffany Haddish in MGM and Plan B’s upcoming adaptation of “Landscape With Invisible Hand.”
Based on National Book Award winner M.T. Anderson’s novel of the same name, Blackk will play Haddish’s son in the pic. The movie, described as a “heightened comedy set in a deeply stratified, alien future,” is written and directed by Cory Finley (“Bad Education,” “Thoroughbreds”).
“Landscape With Invisible Hand” follows a teenage aspiring artist (Blackk) who lives in a near-future in which an alien species known as the vuvv has taken over Earth. After the vuvv’s labor-saving technology causes Earth’s job market and global economy to collapse, the teen and his girlfriend cook up a scheme to make much-needed money by broadcasting their dating life to the fascinated aliens. But the two teens come to hate each other and can’t break up without bankrupting their families.
The new project marks one of Blackk’s first major movie roles, after the young star earned Emmy, NAACP and Critics Choice Award nominations for his work in “When They See Us” and booked a regular role on “This Is Us,” for which he earned another Critics Choice nod. Blackk recently starred in the scripted podcast “Here Comes the Break,” which highlights new and exciting hip-hop artists signed to Def Jam Records, while also discussing mental health issues. In 2020, he also helped start the “Speak Up Series” to discuss issues of racial and social injustice with his generation of industry leaders.
Annapurna Pictures is producing the project with Plan B, which inked a production pact with MGM last year.
In addition to “Landscape,” Plan B and MGM have a number of major projects in the works, including Sarah Polley’s feature adaptation of Miriam Toews’ novel “Women Talking,” starring and produced by Frances McDormand; an original love story from filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung; a feature film version of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ “The Water Dancer,” to be produced by Plan B, Harpo Films and Kamilah Forbes; and the adaptation of Chandler Baker’s novel “The Husbands,” starring and produced by Kristen Wiig.
Blackk is represented by UTA and Del, Shaw, Moonves, Tanaka, Finkelstein & Lezcano.
Source: Variety
ABFF Ventures LLC announced today that the 2021 American Black Film Festival (ABFF) will open its milestone 25th year with Warner Bros. Pictures’ eagerly anticipated film King Richard. The expanded 2021 festival will be available as a worldwide digital experience November 3-28 via its online platform ABFF PLAY. King Richard will be available by special invitation to a limited audience.
King Richard stars two-time Oscar nominee Will Smith, who also is the film’s producer, as Richard Williams, the determined father of Venus and Serena Williams. The story follows the journey of their family, whose unwavering resolve and unconditional belief ultimately creates two of the world’s greatest sports legends. Also starring are Aunjanue Ellis as the girls’ mom, Oracene Wlliams, Saniyya Sidney as Venus Williams and Demi Singleton as Serena Williams, with Tony Goldwyn and Jon Bernthal as coaches Paul Cohen and Rick Macci. Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (Monsters and Men) from a script written by Zach Baylin, King Richard will be released in U.S. theaters and stream exclusively on HBO Max, November 19.
“It is with pride and excitement that we mark our 25th year opening with Warner Bros.’ King Richard, a film that is a touchstone of ABFF’s legacy of showcasing extraordinary Black talent and inspiring storytelling reflecting the brilliance of diversity in Hollywood,” said Nicole Friday, president and general manager, ABFF Ventures LLC. “We’re especially gratified to have the film’s director, Reinaldo Marcus Green, a previous finalist in HBO’s prestigious Short Film Competition, return to ABFF as feature film director — demonstrating the importance of the HBO pipeline in advancing the careers of Black artists. This event is simply a grand slam on every level.”
“Having King Richard at ABFF this year is truly a full circle moment,” stated Reinaldo Marcus Green. “Back in 2013, my short film Stone Cars, that I made while studying at NYU screened in competition and was distributed on HBO — so opening up the festival for ABFF’s 25th anniversary means a lot to me. It’s an absolute honor to return this year with our film. Thank you to Warner Bros. and the whole filmmaking team, the family we built on set, the Williams family for allowing us to tell their groundbreaking story and, of course, our wonderful crew and cast led by none other than Mr. Will Smith.”
ABFF 2021 worldwide virtual experience will include over 100 independent films from 35 countries, spotlight screenings, talks and networking events featuring creators, artists and industry executives. Access to the festival is free. To register, visit https://abff.com.
ABFF sponsors to date include WarnerMedia and HBO® (Founding); Cadillac, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau and Amazon Studios (Presenting); Comcast NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures Entertainment, American Airlines, AT&T, Facebook, and IMDb (Premier); ALLBLK, HBOMax, City of Miami Beach, Netflix, Prudential Financial, TBS, Warner Bros., Variety and Yahoo! (Official); Accenture, AspireTV, Motion Picture Association (MPA) and Morgan Stanley (Supporting). Media partners include BIN: Black Information Network, TheGrio and Rolling Out.
Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group have dropped the terrifying first trailer for Scream (aka Scream 5). It is the fifth film in the Scream franchise and is a direct sequel to Scream 4 (2011).
The official description:
Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, a new killer has donned the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town’s deadly past.
The film sees Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette return to their iconic roles alongside Melissa Barrera, Kyle Gallner, Mason Gooding, Mikey Madison, Dylan Minnette, Jenna Ortega, Jack Quaid, Marley Shelton, Jasmin Savoy Brown and Sonia Ammar.
Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the film is written by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick. It is exec produced by Kevin Williamson, Chad Villella, Gary Barber, Peter Oillataguerre, Ron Lynch, Cathy Konrad, Marianne Maddalena and counts William Sherak, James Vanderbilt and Paul Neinstein as producers.
Watch the trailer below:
Tommy Lee Jones is being set to star alongside Jamie Foxx in Amazon’s The Burial, with Maggie Betts directing. Jones plays a lead role that was going to be filled by Harrison Ford until he had to drop out. Doug Wright penned the screenplay.
Amazon Studios, Bobby Shriver Inc., and Double Nickel Entertainment are producing with Foxx the upcoming drama based on The New Yorker article by Jonathan Harr. Producers are Bobby Shriver and Double Nickel’s Adam Richman & Jenette Kahn. Datari Turner is also producing. The film is based on a true story, after a bankrupt funeral homeowner decides to sue a rival businessman over a handshake deal gone wrong, the owner hires a flamboyant attorney to handle the case.
Betts wrote and directed Novitiate, which won the Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Director at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. She also received a Gotham Award nomination for the film. Her 2010 Tribeca Film Festival breakout documentary The Carrier tells the inspiring story of an HIV-positive and pregnant mother in Africa trying to protect her baby from being born with HIV/AIDS.
Oscar-winner Jones is repped by CAA.
Source: Deadline
There was Casino Royale, Quantum Of Solace, Skyfall, Spectre, and now there’s No Time To Die, Daniel Craig’s latest turn as James Bond. And let’s be clear- he’s back with a vengeance.
No Time to Die not only marks a milestone as the 25th film in the series but it’s also is one James Bond film that will make a mark in the franchise because of the twists, turns, and yes, risks in a long-delayed film.
It has been six long years since we saw Agent 007 on the big screen. In 2015’s Spectre, Bond was last seen driving away in his Aston Martin DB5 in Italy with new love Madeleine Swann.
No Time to Die marks Craig’s fifth and final turn as Ian Fleming’s suave and never-stirred secret agent. In a highly successful 15-year run, Craig has taken the series on its most serious and humane ride, an especially emotional roller coaster for the usually unflappable spy we first encountered in 1962, when Sean Connery starred in Dr. No. This edition expands on all that and leaves us wanting more, but if you wait — as all Bond fans know you should — until the very last image on the screen, four special words give us the promise that there is more to come.
No Time to Die brings us back to Bond’s relationship with Madeleine, played again by Lea Seydoux. Her reappearance marks the first time a Bond love interest has actually returned, believe it or not. I know I was very shocked to see a Bond girl return.
Interestingly, this is the first 007 film to be directed by an American, Cary Joji Fukunaga (of True Detective fame), and let’s just say he does a terrific job managing the action, a compelling love story, as well as a tip of the hat to tradition and the time honored moments we love in Bond movies.
Story-wise, Fukunaga has collaborated with Bond film veterans Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, who have written all of the Craig Bonds — they have had seven times at bat overall in the series. And with her recent successes, the team invited Phoebe Waller-Bridge of Fleabag and Killing Eve fame to add her own unique touches, a welcome female voice in the proceedings that has an impact onscreen.
As I said, this film starts just about where the last one ended as we reunite with Bond and Madeleine in the hilltop city of Matera in southern Italy. Just before we get there, we see a terrifying flashback sequence involving Madeleine as a young girl, the meaning of which becomes clear later.
As is customary, the idyllic moments Bond and his love are sharing soon take a turn and devilish forces put 007 in danger as a thrilling motorcycle chase morphs into an Aston Martin chase and questions of trust come into play. Soon Bond puts Madeleine on a train, never to see her again. Roll opening credits, which come at the 25-minute point.
Cut to five years later, and there is some sort of kidnapping in a London lab involving a Russian scientist who has some material others clearly want.
Bond finally has retired, left the service and is living la vida loca in his beloved Jamaica. But as you might imagine, his bliss is short-lived.
CIA agent and longtime buddy Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) shows up and drags Bond back into action. The superspy heads to Cuba to rescue the scientist, but the mission turns out to be a bit more complicated than he first thought. And obviously, there is a new villain to stir the pot.
Safin, played to the brutal hilt by Rami Malek, intriguingly has his own past experiences with Madeleine, a plot device that adds a layer or two to the normal relationship Bond has with his villains. It also gives Seydoux more to play with than many leading ladies in the series ever got, though no one is about to forget the late Vesper Lynde from Casino Royale, especially Bond. And don’t fear, his seemingly immortal nemesis Blofeld is back, with Christopher Waltz (last seen behind bars) using his wits and eye-catching talents to make trouble from inside prison.
Among the familiar faces, Ralph Fiennes gets a bit more to do as M and Naomie Harris continues to capably play his right hand, Moneypenny, with a little more urgency than normal and importance, as women in No Time to Die serve as much more than eye candy. You can put new cast member Lashana Lynch’s Nomi in that category as well.
Lynch plays the scrappy and much-younger M16 agent Bond first meets in Jamaica. And she is very fun-and sexy- to have around, especially when she reveals that she has taken on the 007 moniker since Bond retired.
Ben Whishaw’s gadget guy, Q, is back and we get to know him — and his hairless cat — on his home turf for a change.
Back as Tanner in his fourth Bond film is Rory Kinnear, who provides needed support in his mostly-brief onscreen moments.
Among other new cast members, Dali Benssalah’s lethal Primo, henchman to Safin, is the Oddjob of the bunch. Ana De Armas gets to reunite with her Knives Out co-star Craig as Paloma, a feisty CIA agent he encounters in Cuba. Billy Magnussen turns up accompanying Leiter to Jamaica as Logan Ash, a guy who plays it by the book, or so it seems. David Dencik is the Russian scientist Valdo. And of course among the stars of any Bond film are the far-flung locations, this time including the aforementioned Jamaica, Norway, Italy and London.
Fukunaga stages some fine chases, explosions, stunts and a big, hourlong finale on Safin’s isolated island fortress, but there is as much emphasis on the human beings here, their conflicts and complications and complexities, as there is on the fast-moving thrills.
Hans Zimmer gets his first go-round at composing a Bondian music score, and John Barry must be smiling from beyond at the nifty homage to his work from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Its memorable song, sung by Louis Armstrong, figures in this story nicely.
The title song here, another must-have “star” of any Bond film, is “No Time to Die,” sung by Billie Eilish, but you knew that since she and brother and co-writer Finneas promoted it well over a year ago with a music video when they thought the film was coming out then. It is properly haunting, and Eilish has the perfect kind of voice for a Bond film vocal.
The film’s release is on Friday on October 8th (at last!) in the U.S. Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson produced.
To this Bond fan, No Time to Die holds a special place in my heart, and at the end of the film, you will know what I mean. All I ask is that you see it in the theater like I did.
SILVER SPRING, MD – October 7, 2021 – TV One has announced that production is underway in Atlanta for its new original movie STALKER, slated to premiere in March 2022. The movie tells the story of an actress that is stalked by a mysterious figure who hides out in her hometown, where she becomes involved with two men, and tries to determine if one is behind what is happening. The film’s stars include Meta Golding (Behind the Movement, Empire), Christian Keyes (The Boys, The Rookie, Saints & Sinners) and Tationna Bosier (Luke Cage).
The movie explores the glamorous life of well-known Hollywood actress Tanya Moore (Meta Golding), who is suddenly tormented by a stalker. The stalker calls her one night, telling her to search her soul and fix her past. The unexpected call causes Tanya to go to the house she grew up in, where her estranged younger sister Shelly (Tationna Bosier) is living. Visiting his parents’ empty house next door is Tanya’s high school boyfriend Damon (Christian Keyes). Tanya, Shelly, and Damon try to figure out who is tormenting her. The slew of suspects include menacing cop Marcus and Tanya’s tumultuous exes, Adam and Steven.
The STALKER cast features:
● Christian Keyes as Damon● Meta Golding as Tanya Moore● Tationna Bosier as Shelly
STALKER was produced in accordance with COVID-19 health and wellness guidelines. To ensure the safety of cast and crew, all staff and crew members were tested and screened for symptoms prior to start of production and throughout shooting. A COVID-19 Supervisor was charged with the responsibility of ensuring compliance with safety protocols established for the duration of the production process. STALKER is directed by Bobby Yan and produced for TV One by Swirl Films, with Eric Tomosunas and Ron Robinson, serving as Executive Producers. James Seppelfrick, Wes Cyphers and Keith Neal serve as producers for Swirl Films. For TV One, Jason Ryan is the Executive Producer in Charge of Production and Donyell Kennedy-McCullough is Senior Director of Talent & Casting.
Legendary comedian Dave Chappelle is under fire for comments about the LGBTQ+ community during his latest Netflix special, The Closer.
The National Black Justice Coalition is now asking Netflix to pull The Closer from its platform. “It is deeply disappointing that Netflix allowed Dave Chappelle’s lazy and hostile transphobia and homophobia to air on its platform,” said NBJC executive director David Johns. “With 2021 on track to be the deadliest year on record for transgender people in the United States — the majority of whom are Black transgender people — Netflix should know better. Perpetuating transphobia perpetuates violence. Netflix should immediately pull The Closer from its platform and directly apologize to the transgender community.”
GLAAD also chimed in on the controversy. “Dave Chappelle’s brand has become synonymous with ridiculing trans people and other marginalized communities,” the organization tweeted. “Negative reviews and viewers loudly condemning his latest special is a message to the industry that audiences don’t support platforming anti-LGBTQ diatribes. We agree.”